Entrepreneur Founders Organization

The Entrepreneur Founders Organization consists of practicing and harvested entrepreneurs who support the entrepreneurship program at Brigham Young University and the Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology. There are currently more than 130 Founders who provide donations and time mentoring students one-on-one and speaking in classes.

Mission of the Founders

The mission of the Entrepreneur Founders Organization is to support the Rollins Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology in teaching and mentoring students, to provide research opportunities and funding for the center’s activities, and to guide students to learn, earn, and return.

To support this mission, the Founders:

Assist in developing teaching materials and research opportunities for faculty and students

Give lectures and team teach with faculty to students and other groups

Mentor students in starting and operating their own ventures

Arrange internships for students

Make contributions to help build the center’s endowment and fully cover its annual operating expenses and scholarship programs

Help build entrepreneurship programs at other CES institutions

How to Become a Founder

Careers have three phases: learn, earn, and return. The privilege to return and help others is the most rewarding of all. Who could be better to help teach, educate, and mentor students in entrepreneurship than real-life entrepreneurs? With this in mind, the Entrepreneur Founder group was formed to help support the CET.

Besides funding the annual operating costs of the program, Founders have helped build an endowment which helps fund scholarships, library holdings, curriculum developments, research support, and many other materials for the center. We invite your interest in this rapidly growing, nationally recognized program which supports BYU.

We invite you to become an Entrepreneur Founder and join this exciting program. The financial commitments are a minimum initial contribution of $20,000 and an annual sustaining donation of $5,000. All contributions qualify towards membership in BYU’s President’s Leadership Council (PLC) and the Marriott School’s National Advisory Council (NAC).

How Do Founders Participate?

Teaching In The Classroom

As practicing entrepreneurs, some Founders choose to teach in the classroom where they can share their experiences and insights. These outstanding businesspeople serve as role models for students. Together with a dedicated faculty, Entrepreneur Founders provide students with classroom instruction, which combines theories and principles with real-life applications. Case studies based on their experiences are combined with academic studies to bring principles to life. Presentations in the Entrepreneur Lecture Series help students understand the practical realities of becoming an entrepreneur. The quality of student learning increases significantly when Founders participate.

Financially Supporting The Program

The CET is unique at BYU. We support our programs entirely from the contributions of our Founders. This budget supports:

More than thirty classes, some of which are specifically designed for non-business majors

An intern-scholarship program where students receive tuition assistance for completing entrepreneurial internships

Scholarships to students pursuing an entrepreneurship emphasis

Awards for winners of two competitions for the best business plans and student-run businesses

Research into principles of entrepreneurship

Funding for eight professorships to attract the best faculty to our program

Founders Conference

Twice a year, the Founders and their spouses gather together on campus for educational and spiritual programs with guest speakers. During the conference, Founders get the chance to network through social activities such as dinners, golf, museum tours, and football games. Students also get the opportunity to interact with the Founders personally, discussing various aspects of owning and growing successful businesses. Students can present their business plans for feedback and evaluation from these successful entrepreneurs.